一期一会 . . . ONE TIME, ONE MEETING . . . @ploytofino
"You must not bring this up ever again, Mr. Tosto. I find your insistence that you are a bother to me an insult," an older Japanese man replied calmly. Introducing himself to the other as his actual surname Nakajima, the host stood just about Onofrio's height, with shoulder-length hair tied in a half ponytail that framed his bearded face and appealed to a younger generation's taste for men his age. Over his dark blue polo shirt and khaki slacks he wore a black waist apron, and in his hands he carried a tray, upon which a tea set rested.
"Has my accommodation disquieted you so terribly that you would leave me so soon?" he asked, gesturing for Onofrio to sit next to him on a sofa with a jerk of his chin. Carefully, he laid the tea set down for them both, pouring a warm cup of tea for the consigliere and then himself. "Please, Mr. Tosto, stay for a little while longer."
This, Nakajima could muster. He'd worked in a tea house for seven years right after high school, in an attempt to keep their household afloat amid his father's surmounting gambling debt. Putting on the mask of a bed-and-breakfast host came naturally after the fact, even as his nerves nipped at his ankles like hungry dogs.
Before them unfolded the beautiful coastal view of Santorini, a prime cliff-top property offering a quiet path to the beach away from the tourist traps (as if Santorini itself weren't a trap), and a magnificent uninterrupted view of the sea beyond. Not a house in sight, and the night breeze was cool and welcome. Inside, the luxurious house was decorated with a mid-century modern flair, though comfortingly lived in and welcoming as a result.
"If it helps, there is no further demand or request for booking until next January for my humble abode," Nakajima shrugged. "I suppose lowering the fees would attract more people, but I live here, Mr. Tosto. I am not hurting for company all that much. That is, until I met you," he laughed hoarsely. "Would a twenty percent discount on your next few nights be enough to dissuade your decision to leave?"
